Kirk Franklin Compares Flawed Church Leaders to Cold French Fries

Gospel icon Kirk Franklin is known for speaking candidly about his many imperfections, so it’s no surprise that during a recent chat with EBONY , he opened up the challenges of being a public figure struggling with personal demons.

He also weighed in on folks who are in awe of prominent church leaders who have come under fire for their controversial behavior. “I think the best example I can say is everybody has had cold fries once in their lives from McDonald’s and it didn’t stop them from going back,” Kirk said.

He added, “But like you still go back after that cold french fry, keep going back because it’s a hospital full of patients and everybody’s got some type of sickness and all of us need the doctor.” When it comes to his own flaws, Franklin said, “I prefer being flawed and I prefer being seen flawed. I celebrate my weaknesses.”

Late last summer , the award-winning singer revealed he had connected with his birth father, who abandoned him as a child. Their reunion was shrouded in heartbreak, however, as Franklin learned at the time that his pops had three to six months to live. When his father passed away several months later, the musician hit up social media to share how he’s been managing his grief.

Meanwhile, Franklin is gearing up for his upcoming Long Live Love summer tour, kicking off in Austin, Texas on July 11. He will visit 25 major cities, including New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, Baltimore, Detroit and Houston.